This invention relates to inflatable structures and to the method of inflating such shelter.
The inflatable shelter of the present invention is formed of a plurality of modular sections wherein the number of sections used may be increased or decreased to make a complete shelter. Heretofore, inflatable buildings or shelters utilized a canopy of flexible impermeable material which was shaped so that it could be supported solely by internal air pressure. Such structures required a fully enclosed or encapsulated canopy to prevent any leakage of excessive air around its periphery. These types of inflatable shelters require extensive ground preparation but then are easily raised by the internal pressure, however, their continued on-site use requires a continued new supply of pressurized air. The inflatable shelter of the present invention requires minimal ground preparation and the larger sizes require manpower to erect, however, with the assist of an auxiliary inflatable jack or lift tube, the erection of a self-supporting, inflatable shelter is easier to perform and in the longer term use is superior to prior inflatable structures. With the use of the inflatable auxiliary jack, the air inflatable shelter of the present invention is cost effective in its use and application thereby increasing the versatility of its use.